COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa — Turnout exceeded all expectations in Pottawattamie County’s 11th precinct Republican caucus tonight, where Donald Trump handily won, 30.7 percent to 24.5 percent for Ted Cruz.
The Trump crowd was, as Trump promised, all voters who were new to Republican caucuses — many new to electoral politics in total.
While other candidates had precinct captains who came with voter lists and yard signs to designate their section of the caucus room (the two Chris Christie voters who brought the yard sign proved to be the only two Chris Christie voters in the precinct), the Trump crowd had no such organization. There was no precinct captain. Dave Dieatrick, one of two voters who spoke in favor of Trump at the event, went up to speak extemporaneously.
Still, Trump carried the room with 44 votes out of 143 cast. When the precinct chairwoman (who doubled as Rubio’s precinct captain) announced Trump’s win about 20 minutes after voting ended, the remnant booed. Only two Trump supporters remained — a couple decked out in leather and tattoos who smilingly refused to talk to reporters. The others had all left immediately after voting, some retiring to Glory Days Bar & Grill across the street.
There, Dieatrick bought me a beer and explained that this was his first time caucusing — he’s 55 years old and a lifetime Council Bluffer (he calls himself a “Counciltuckian”). “I like the wall,” and Trump’s support for the military. “Nobody’s gonna buy him.”
Dieatrick, like thousands more across the state, registered as a Republican at the caucus site (though he’s always considered himself one, he says he wasn’t registered to vote).
Rand Paul’s precinct captain told me the expected turnout was 115. The actual turnout of 143 reflected the attendance of these new Republicans.
Timothy P. Carney, The Washington Examiner’s senior political columnist, can be contacted at [email protected]. His column appears Tuesday and Thursday nights on washingtonexaminer.com.
